Next month, my wife and I will be going to Daytona Bike Week for the first time. I was looking for some suggestions on where to find certain things:

1) Where is the best vendor spot? I want to be able to look at Mustang, Kurakyn, J&P Cycles, etc.

2) Where are some good places to eat? My wife and I are basic avearage priced american food eaters (burgers, pizza, pasta, etc.).

3) Is there anyplace to find a good schedule for events? We'd like to see some custom bike contests or burnout competetions. Maybe I'm not looking that the right places, but the main websites haven't been able to offer me much when it comes to info.

Any help/advice is appreciated....

 

in my experience Main St. in Daytona is where all the cool bars are. My personal favorite is "Boot Hill" its right across from the cemetary. Can't think of it's specific name right now but the Harley Dealer off of 95 alittle north of Daytona has good bike shows, entertainment, chicks, and vendors. I also believe I remember seeing Vendors and builders along Main St. in some parking lots. I'm usually tanked and can't keep my eyes off the candy so I miss some things. Oh and eats, I ate junk or went to my Grandma's house.

 

Main st is best for people/bike watching tips and taters at the iron horse are the best good vendors there too must see cabbadge wrestling at cabbage patch vendors are everywhere, after the first day seen one group of vendors seen em all, my wife and I stayed at a hotel near main st. parked the Bike and walked down

 

Destination Daytona will have the vendors you are looking for. J&P has a store there I think. Food at the venues is overpriced, head out of town to eat. For an event schedule try this http://www.daytonabikeweekevents.com/

 

there is a lot of good motorcycle racing going on down there. pro short track and road racing at the speedway. look at the vendors that you are interested in on the internet. they usually have their location and dates posted. Destination Daytona on the north side of town on the freeway has most of what you are looking for.

 

The Speedway has lots of vendors and demo rides, racing etc. A few custom bike vendors are there as well with a bunch of bikes on display for sale. Beach Street is a cool place to browse around....lots of vendors. Follow it around the corner and across the bridge and it turns into Main Street(or maybe it turns into Main before the bridge but you get the picture.) Destination Daytona has lots of vendors as well as bands. Its really in Ormond Beach but not near the water. The road to Daytona from there has some good bars, the Broken Spur, Smileys Tap and the Iron Horse Saloon. Good Bar-b-q place at DD too but can't remember the name

 

Went to Boot Hill Saloon last night. It was rockin already. Had band pllaying called"Big Engine". It was 88 degrees here in Daytona so it was a no jacket ride. Sweet. Ya'll come down and see us in two weeks.

 

The Daytona 500 track has all of the vendors as well.
Much easier parking than Destination but you should still visit Destination.
At the track you can also test ride many of the new Harley Models, you get a test ride slip good for the week, enter a line, they scan out the bike you choose to ride and go around about a 3 mile test circuit on your own, return the bike it is scanned in and repeat the process on as many bikes as often as you want, great way to test the new bikes.

 

I enjoyed staying near Main Street more than staying out near the speedway. Taking in Main Street and then being able to walk to your room is the best option for me. We did several day rides and hit Main St. each night our last time there.

 

1) Destination Daytona I95 and US1, there's a J&P store out there and both the others, as well as many more, have had tents out there the last couple years.

2) If you like authentic Mexican Tia Corri's on Beach Street is some of the best I've had, and they were open late when we were there.

3)On beach street there is an official bike week tent, has a map and somewhat of a schedule (mostly just the family friendly events), usually a few freebies too. This is usually our first stop. As someone else said daytonabikeweekevents.com has a more comprehensive list that includes the events not listed in the "official" book.
Iron Horse on US1 has a burnout pit if you want to check that out.
You aren't going to see everything, but if you have the right frame of mind you'll have a great time.